One could have just as easily and perhaps more accurately entitled this post: “the gathering clouds.” Things seemed well set in place and only exacerbated given the very recent miracle of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead. But the disciples of our Lord were more or less used to that. And definitely our Lord himself, who faced danger right from the beginning of his ministry, given the supposed blasphemous pretense of his claims. And yet at this point it was all coming to a head, to the fixed point that God himself intended.

The story quoted above about the woman pouring expensive perfume on the Lord’s head is touching. Jesus said that it anticipated his death, more precisely preparing for his burial. And this act set what was to follow in motion, as Judas Iscariot went off to the Jewish believers to arrange Jesus’ betrayal.